Who/What: January-February 2017

Janice Clements, Ph.D., professor of molecular and comparative pathobiology, director of the Retrovirus Laboratory, and vice dean for faculty is among the January/February featured employees.

Published in Dome - January/February 2017

AAAS Honor

Janice Clements, Ph.D., professor of molecular and comparative pathobiology, director of the Retrovirus Laboratory, and vice dean for faculty, has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The honor, voted on by Clements’ professional peers throughout the country, recognizes her “distinguished contributions to the field of virology, particularly for explaining the molecular biology, pathogenesis and viral latency” of the simian immunodeficiency virus and HIV.  

New Bloomberg ProfessorA photo shows Lisa Cooper.

Lisa Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for health care equity, professor of medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities, has been named the university’s 25th Bloomberg Distinguished Professor. With this new appointment, Cooper plans to establish a unified Institute for Equity in Health and Healthcare at Johns Hopkins, bringing together researchers, clinicians, educators and administrators across the university to collaborate on developing innovative practice and training solutions for at-risk populations. The Bloomberg professorships are funded by a $350 million gift from Johns Hopkins alumnus, philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

EAST BALTIMOREA photo shows Kenneth Stoller.

Kenneth Stoller, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Johns Hopkins Broadway Center for Addiction, received a 2016 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Nyswander/Dole “Marie” Award for outstanding contributions to opioid addiction treatment. The award praises Stoller’s “transformational leadership” of the center, which has become an exemplar of services that address the entire scope of opioid addiction issues.

Martha Zeiger, M.D., professor of surgery, oncology, and cellular and molecular medicine, and associate dean for postdoctoral affairs, will become president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons in April. Zeiger has held leadership positions in other national medical societies, including the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association. She also founded and is dean of Endocrine Surgery University, an annual course for all endocrine surgery fellows in North America.   

JOHNS HOPKINS BAYVIEW MEDICAL CENTER

W. Daniel Hale, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine, director of the Healthy Community Partnership and special adviser to the president of the medical center, has received a $25,000 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award for inspiring students to foster creation of Medicine for the Greater Good, a program in which medical students and trainees develop projects that directly benefit the community.A photo shows Laura Hanyok.

Laura Hanyok, M.D., has been named assistant dean for graduate medical education. An assistant professor of medicine, Hanyok directs the internal medicine residency program’s Resident Continuity Clinic. She has focused her career on medical education, served as director of interprofessional education for the school of medicine and received a highly competitive Macy Faculty Scholar award from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

Kai Shea, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.-C., has been named director of social work. A 17-year veteran of the medical center, Shea has provided clinical social work to patients and families in the medical ICU, the pediatric ICU and, most recently, the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. In her oncology role, she collaborated with the American Cancer Society and the Lung Cancer Alliance on programming.  

JOHNS HOPKINS HEALTHCARE

A photo shows Richard Safeer.

Richard Safeer, M.D., medical director of employee health and wellness, has been elected to the board of directors of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). During his three-year term, he will help guide ACLM’s efforts to research, educate and promote the use of lifestyle as a therapeutic intervention for treating chronic disease.

National capital regionA photo shows Akila Viswanathan.

Akila Viswanathan, M.D., M.P.H., professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences, executive vice chair of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences, and director of gynecological radiation oncology, has been named national capital region director of Johns Hopkins radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences. Viswanathan has clinical and research interests in gynecologic malignancies, uterine cancers and image-guided brachytherapy.

SIBLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Grace Daniels, manager of case coordination; Jo Ellen Harris, director of patient safety and quality improvement; and Jerry Price, senior vice president of real estate and construction, have received meritorious service awards from the District of Columbia Hospital Association.A photo shows Matthew Ladra.

Matthew Ladra, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences, has launched the Washington, D.C., area’s first dedicated pediatric radiation oncology program in collaboration with Children’s National Health System, a Washington, D.C.-based nationally acclaimed pediatric hospital. Johns Hopkins and Children’s National Pediatric Cancer Care, which opened last August, joins pediatric medical and surgical oncology experts from Children’s National with pediatric radiation oncology experts from Johns Hopkins. Ladra is among the few radiation oncologists whose practice and research focus solely on pediatric cancers.A photo shows Benjamin Levy.

Benjamin Levy, M.D., associate professor of oncology, has been named clinical director of medical oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. A specialist in thoracic oncology, Levy was previously medical director of thoracic medical oncology for Mount Sinai Health System in New York City and associate medical director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Office for Mount Sinai Hospital. Levy’s main focus is comprehensive clinical care and research development for patients with thoracic malignancies, with particular emphasis on nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

JOHNS HOPKINS ALL CHILDREN’S HOSPITALA photo shows Sharon Ghazarian.

Sharon Ghazarian, Ph.D., has become senior director of the new Health Informatics Core, a group of specialists in database design and integration, statistics, epidemiology and research. Ghazarian, an expert in complex statistical analysis, study design and medical research methodology, has supported research initiatives at Johns Hopkins All Children’s since 2011, when she began serving as co-director of the Clinical and Translational Research Training Track.

Marketing and Communications

The internet strategy team e-book, Lung Cancer: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers, has received a gold award for Best Health Care Content from Greystone.Net, an internet consulting, education and products firm. The award honors the work of Stacia Jesner, director of digital content strategy; Therese Lockemy, director of internet marketing and social engagement; internet marketing specialist Tristin Bates, who designed the book; and web content specialist Shena Matsos.

Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Medicine Marketing and Communications Department have received a total of 16 fall Digital Health Awards—more than any other health care institution—from the Health Information Resource Center. Judges recognized web-based mobile videos, infographics, print publications and other communications dealing with a broad array of medical issues.